Sunday, August 4, 2013

IBS Can Scare the Crap Out of You....Literally!

This is probably not the best post, especially for a mostly
"food" blog about healthy and low-fat recipes, however, I know there
are other sufferers besides myself of the dreaded spastic colon or Irritable
Bowel Syndrome (IBS), so I wanted to be as helpful as possible to others
who may have questions about the disorder.

About seven years ago (age 35), I went on a cruise with my mom to
Bermuda. The seas were very rough the
first night, and I experienced my first bout of nausea due to Poseidon and his
dreaded spear. I had also just started
dating my future husband (umm, we hope there is no correlation with IBS to
that), and even though newly into the relationship, we knew we were going to be
a beautifully married couple somewhere down the road. Relationships do cause stress, and even seven days on a vacation
with your mother and your best friend can cause bouts with the bowel.

Upon our return to Richmond, I was still experiencing
horrible bouts of nausea, abdominal pain, bloating, and weight loss (not that
I'm complaining about that part). I
went to see my doctor (fired!) and he gave me medication for vertigo, and sent
me on my way. I am not a big fan of doctors who try to solve your problems with
drugs—find a solution! The symptoms
continued, so my husband recommended going to see his nurse practitioner at
Ironbridge Family Practice, and she told me her thoughts almost
immediately. She explained that I had Irritable
Bowel Syndrome or a spasticcolon. We increased my fiber intake for my diet, but a lot of the symptoms
continued.

She referred me to a gastroenterologist who took his time to
chat with me about what "may" or "may not" be the
problem. I then went through an
ultrasound of my entire abdominal area.
Not to cause panic in anyone, but IBS does have the same symptoms as
ovarian cancer, so do not ignore! We
then scheduled the dreaded colonoscopy.
By the time we had finally gotten to this test, it had been almost a
year since my symptoms had appeared.
Welcome to insurance hell and how long it takes to solve medical
problems. And on a funny side note, the
testing was scheduled for my one-year dating anniversary with John—talk about
true love! We celebrated the weekend
before thankfully.

No longer in use, the preparation for the test consisted of
taking pills, a lot of pills, and drinking a ton of Coca Cola or Sprite. (The
pills were eventually linked to kidney failure.) We went for testing the next day at 2:30 in the afternoon, and I
was informed that I had a colon of a 20 year-old (so does that consist of beer
and pizza?). I was to continue my
exercise program, quit smoking (yes, this runner and now health nut was a
pack-a-day smoker at one time), and to put more fiber in my diet.

Fiber? I eat fiber
all the time was my thought. I eat more
salads than anything on my diet. I had
to then do my own research as to what types of fiber can be eaten to reduce the
stomach spasms, pain, and inconsistent bowel movements. The reason for this post? To share some of the foods that generally
are good for you if you suffer from this disorder.

First of all, let's define what IBS is: IBS is a dysfunction of the colon. It can be the result of a virus, stress, a
nasty cruise ship (my experience), or bacteria in the intestinal tract. IBS is thought to result when the intestinal
tract contracts faster or slower than normal.
Faster equals diarrhea; slower equals constipation. And many people suffer from both, like
myself. All of this results in the
intestinal tract becoming more sensitive, so tolerance to many foods is
lowered.

Other IBS symptoms include low energy, fatigue, muscle
aches, low back pain, altered moods, increased PMS, lack of concentration and a
"foggy" brain (www.irritablebowelsyndromeibsdiet.com). Emotional and physical stress can also
trigger IBS symptoms or what I tend to call it, a flare-up.

My emotional stress this past year has been through the roof
with two job layoffs, and with a parent that I almost lost to an aneurysm. I start my new teaching gig next week, and
can't be more excited or blessed. Who
would have ever thought that our economy would get to the point that teachers
would be laid off from their jobs? It
all worked out for the best. (Insert
off topic paragraph here).

I did have a flare-up this week, three days of tummy spasms,
bathroom visits, and resting. I did
manage to go running on Tuesday and Wednesday, but Monday was a day of rest for
me. I took off running in our
neighborhood last Sunday, ten miles, and it was a beauty. However, it was hot and humid, and being the
queen of stupidity sometimes, I did NOT hydrate well. I came into the house, popped a diet Dr. Pepper, and went on with
my day. Symptoms started about four
hours later, and it was a LONG night. I
had also started a new sleep medication (insomnia sufferer too), so whether any
of this correlated to the IBS problems, who knows? I'm sticking with the gym and Jillian Michaels videos for at
least another week or so.

Please remember to exercise. No matter what, IBS responds well to physical activity. Even if you just walk for 30 minutes a day,
take the time for YOU, and to relieve some of the mental stress in your life.
Nothing makes me happier than watching a rerun of BurnNotice or NecessaryRoughness while running on my treadmill. Relax and find joy in your
workout. Your body will thank you in the long run. Another recommendation is to keep a food diary, at least for a
month, to see what foods you're eating that may be causing your abdominal
issues.

So, what can I eat is your question? There are two types of fiber: soluble and
insoluble. Soluble fiber is generally
friendlier to your body, and passes through the colon rather easily. Insoluble
fiber is that which can cause gastric distress (especially salads) and can lead
to a full IBS flare-up. Your body does
not like and refuses to digest most of the meal. Thanks to healthcop.com for the following information.

Soda-I am the biggest Diet Dr. Pepper and Diet
Mountain Dew fan ever. I still drink
it, because my body has adjusted to it.
During my pregnancy with Matthew, I quit caffeine for the most part, but
allowed myself one Dr. Pepper per day.
I still had IBS even with the dietary changes. Anyway, in most people soda brings an onslaught of diarrhea, so
beware.

Alcohol-One of my worst nightmares is with wine. Again, cramping, bloating, and diarrhea will
or may occur.

Caffeine-An intestinal stimulant that can worsen
cramps and result in the big D. Be
careful of your caffeine consumption.

Chocolate-This does contain some caffeine and is
considered high in fat leading to diarrhea as well. Be careful of how much you eat.
I have to consume some chocolate per day, usually a Diet Swiss Miss Hot
Cocoa (fat free, sugar free and Weight Watchers friendly). Dependent upon my stress level, I can
usually handle chocolate rather well. I
had Sweet Frog's chocolate frozen yogurt on Friday and it never affected my
IBS. Chocolate can also lead to
heartburn in connection to IBS, so another issue of caution with consumption of
one of our favorite flavored treats.

Here are some of my favorite things that I can eat and that
won't affect my I BS. I will also share, if you haven't scrolled through the
rest of my blog, that I am a Weight Watchers member, so not only do I watch my
moderation of intake of food, but I also monitor what goes into my
tummy.

2 Weight Watcher Points and always settles well on my tummy!

3 Weight Watcher Points and my breakfast every morning.

I use this on everything, including my sweet potatoes or baked potatoes.

3 Weight Watcher Points per 3/4 cup. One of my favorites to eat for a snack or dinner.

2 Weight Watcher Points per serving and my favorite snack!

My reason for fighting this disorder. Isn't he adorable?

Relax and take a vacation. Enjoy life!

Last note, go to the doctor and make sure you get everything checked out if you have any symptoms. NEVER make a self diagnosis. Crohn's, celiac disease, leaky gut syndrome, and many other conditions could be what you have, not IBS.

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About Me

Language Arts teacher with a flair for technology. I love to run and shutterbug. I'm also a mother, married to the best guy in the world, and love teaching. Thanks for letting me share our world with you.